HEALTH SCIENCES
Allison Cunningham, Junior, Speech & Hearing Sciences, with Kelly Tremblay, Assistant Professor & Director of the Brain & Behavior Laboratory
Students of the health sciences dedicate their lives to improving the lives of others by alleviating human suffering—one person at a time. They listen, investigate, and help us understand ourselves and our bodies a little bit better. They search for answers—in the rhythm of our hearts, the patterns of our speech, even the composition of our blood. They ensure that the places we live and work will not harm us. They listen to how we speak and even to how we hear. They help us walk again. Sometimes they save our lives. Students of the health sciences become nurses, laboratory technicians, speech therapists, physicians, environmental health consultants, and dental hygienists. They manage blood banks, emergency rooms, and public health agencies. They work in clinics, hospitals, schools, and prisons—wherever others need help. And no matter where they are, they’re people who care. The University of Washington is known internationally for its leadership in the research, teaching, and practice of the health sciences. Housed in the Warren G. Magnuson Health Sciences Center, home to five major interdisciplinary research centers, programs benefit from collaborative relationships with the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and the UW’s three world-class hospitals, including the University of Washington Medical Center. With some of the nation’s most prominent schools of medicine, nursing, and pharmacy, Washington has long attracted faculty and staff hailing from the top of their professions. That means numerous opportunities for students of the health sciences to observe clinical work, receive training, and participate in research. Want to make the world a better place? Get started at the University of Washington.
Majors Listed
Student Profile
“I was born moderately hearing impaired but not diagnosed until I was almost five. Now, I love learning the science behind what I experience every day. Since hearing impairment is a medical, social, and emotional issue, this field combines my love of science with my passion for caregiving-the people side of the science. I met Professor Tremblay when I spoke to one of her classes about my experience. Now we’re researching how age-related hearing loss affects the neural representation of speech in the central auditory system. Next year, Professor Tremblay will sponsor my honors thesis, which I’ll present at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. She has a personal investment in her students’ success, and that makes me excited about my education.”
Near Eastern Languages and Civilization offers an undergraduate degree in Comparative Islamic Studies.
